Don't discuss secrets on the telephone (black-on-cream print)
Security poster: a cartoon officer in uniform holds a sheet of paper in one hand and a telephone to his ear, with a handwritten thought bubble 'Perhaps it would be better if I just whispered the next bit...'. Large type warns against discussing secrets by telephone. The technique is faint: gentle ridicule of a plain, ordinary figure, with no fear imagery.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1941
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- U.S. Army Air Forces (handwritten annotation; artist: Rawls-Fungesser)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Military
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Own forces
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Themes
- Security and surveillance, War and the military
- Event
- World War II
- Regime
- Roosevelt administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Posters, retrieved October 4, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work)
Issuer not printed; handwritten 'U.S Air Forces'. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-659A (NAID 514138).
Text on the object
Perhaps it would be better if I just whispered the next bit... DON'T DISCUSS SECRETS ON THE TELEPHONE [signature:] RAWLS-FUNGESSER [handwritten:] U.S Air Forces
